Confession

Michael Crafter is a name that's synonymous with Australian Hardcore. He has pretty much done it all. Crafter has fronted one of the most successfull metalcore bands in Australia, I Killed The Prom Queen, to a brief stint in U.S band Bury Your Dead, to inavding the Big Brother house on Channel 10's prime time human experiment.

His latest project Confession will release their debut album 'Cancer' on October 9th via Resist Records and we caught up with the most famous celebrity in all of Australian Hardcore to chat about it all...

Hey Michael how's things? 

Good, winter sucks but you know hopefully things start to get warmer.

So Confession has a new album coming out in October called 'Cancer'. Tell us a bit about it.

We've been writing and recording over the last 5 months. We decided to take it all on ourselves with production/mixing etc. Basically Dan is a guru with computers and has been doing demo's for years. This time we thought we would get the right result if we did it ourselves so that's what we have done. We are super happy with how it’s come out.

You were kind enough to give me a quick listen to the album. Why did you decide to go for a more slick, metal production as opposed to a more gritty, say, hardcore production? Or is that just the way it turned out? 

Well we aint a hardcore band. We are a mosh/metal band and that's what we wanted to sound like. We needed a polished sound. We needed that modern digital metal sound for the record. Shit that coming out of the states right now is heavy as fuck. People are doing miracles on computers and minimal studio gear. It’s the person not the gear at the end of the day. We just wanted it to sound modern and not dated like most of the shit coming out of this country.

Where did the name of the album come from? Is there a deep, hidden meaning behind it...? 

Well, over the last couple years I dated someone. Her mum got cancer while we were dating and it was a horrible thing to deal with. I’ve never really had to deal with something like this at an older age and it was really quite heartbreaking for the family and what they had to go through.

It’s something that can strike down anyone at anytime. Going to chemo etc with them I got to see how many people who were also there to get treatment. Shit was fucking heavy. Hospitals are never great to say the least but this place was something else. It was like a room for of hopeful people but shit... Every one of them had something that might kill them.

Who writes most of the music in the band? Or is it more of a collaboration between all of you? 

Nah the band doesn’t practice. Dan writes most of it and Adam helps him. Dan basically is the brains behind everything.

With vocals we start with nothing when we enter the studio, lay down demo vocals and then improve them as we go. So in the end we try come out with the heaviest catchiest shit we can. This just means you send sooo long in the studio.

Parkway Drive recently tore everyone a new arsehole on their recent tour and, of course, you were along for the ride. Does anything surprise you anymore when it comes to that band? They seem to be getting bigger and bigger...

Nah that band's on another level. Biggest metalcore band in the world. They are bigger than unearth, as I lay dying, BMTH and pretty much anyone. They are probably nearly as big as Killswitch. They are doing venues that huge American metal bands come here and can’t even do.  Same with Europe.

Confession hits the road this October/November with Nazarite Vow and No Way Out. Why did you choose to tour with these two bands?  

Australia has so many tours right now and there is a lack of bands. We wanted originally to bring a USA band out but that wasn’t in the budget. Plus there are 2020202 international tours right now with 20 different promoters. We just wanted to young bands.

I’ve seen both the bands live and they both were solid live. It would have been great to tour with some friends bands or something but every mate’s band seems to be busy as hell right now

Any show on the tour you are most looking forward too? 

Umm I think Byron bay because it’s Halloween. Basically it’s like our home town so all our mates are going to be there having a good time.

And leading on from that, what's your favorite city to play in?

Sydney is great and Brisbane. Both we seem to do well in.

Jona makes time when he can if it’s going to happen. It’s all his doing if PQ does more shit. Like we will all do it. It’s just when he has time. He will let us know if it’ll ever happen.

What are some of your favorite Australian bands at the moment (besides Parkway Drive)? 

Shit. I think this dude from Adelaide called Delta, Drapht, Miles Away, Amity, DN, Gyroscope, In Trenches that’s about it. Hahira I don’t listen to much stuff.

What are your thoughts on the Australian hardcore scene right now? Do you think it's better than it was, say, 5 years ago? 

Yeah of course. It was mates back then. Having a good time. Peeps have grown up. Mindshare, Day of Contempt etc broke up. Shit has changed heavily. Shit happens I guess.

I'm of the school of thought that a lot of bands here in Australia are just as good, if not better than most overseas bands. Would you agree that a lot of our bands can play with the "big boys" so to speak?

I think some stuff is, Bands like parkway, Prom, Carp, MA Deez Nuts, Mindsnare etc are world class. Parkway, Carp, Deez Nuts Prom have kids all over the world that love the bands.

So obviously they have made their mark and created pretty huge fan bases.

Younger bands here fall short simply because they are young and haven’t found there mark yet. Young bands think they will be the next big thing aint going to happen anytime soon kids.

You have pretty much done it all. Toured the world, been on Big Brother and had articles written about you on News.com.au. What's left? Anything else you want to accomplish in this lifetime?

Fuck I don’t know. Today I thought about being on master chef. I once trained to be a chef when I was a kid. Hahaha, so maybe this could be next. Probably marry some chick that looks like a pornstar and just relax in Aldinga and go fishing.

No idea.

Who do you think is hotter, Megan Fox or Michael J Fox?

Megan Fox is sooo hot… I seriously die over her.

Who do you think would win in a fight between you and Box?  (Note: Crafter asked himself this question).

I’d smash Box. Seriously as soon as KYS builds the ring…I’ll smash that fat c**t...

Time for a few quickies...

Real tan or fake tan? 

Fake tits? Hahaha real tan is great because it doesn’t wreck your white shirts.

Simpsons or South Park?

Simpsons.

Fall Out Boy or Paramore? 

Pete Wentz.

Dickies or dickhead? 

I’m a dickhead.

Bong or crack pipe?

Bong water.

Brokencyde or Brokenose? 

Same effect.

Ok this is getting silly, thanks for your time Michael. Do you have any words of advice for the kids out there that look up to you? 

I hope people like the CD and support it. We worked out arses off. Thanks for interview.

Thanks mate and good luck with the album. 

Confession will release their new album 'Cancer' on October 9th via Resist Records. The band hits the road with Nazarite Vow and No Way Out this October/November. For all  the dates and venues click here.